# Trump weighs joining Saudi fight against Houthis

> After a deadly airport attack in Riyadh, Trump says the U.S. may back Saudi Arabia against Iran-backed militants, risking deeper Middle East involvement.
- Title: Trump weighs joining Saudi fight against Houthis · CNBC
- Summary: After a deadly airport attack in Riyadh, Trump says the U.S. may back Saudi Arabia against Iran-backed militants, risking deeper Middle East involvement…
- Keywords: donald trump, saudi arabia, houthis, yemen, iran, riyadh airport attack, u.s. military involvement, middle east, red sea, bab el mandeb strait, business, finance
- Source: CNBC — https://cnbc.com/2026/10/11/trump-saudi-arabia-iran-houthis.html
- Author: Azhar Sukri,Terri Cullen
- Published: 2026-10-11T11:45:10+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: donald trump, saudi arabia, houthis, yemen, iran, riyadh airport attack, u.s. military involvement, middle east, red sea, bab el mandeb strait, business, finance
## Trump considers backing Saudi strikes
President Donald Trump said the U.S. is considering joining Saudi Arabia in retaliation against Tehran-backed Houthis in Yemen after a deadly airport attack.
## Riyadh airport struck twice in days
On Saturday, a projectile struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, killing twelve people and injuring three hundred nine others, according to the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation.
## Second attack in less than a week
On Sunday, another projectile struck a passenger terminal at the same airport. Three Saudi nationals, including a pilot, were killed in attacks on Thursday.
## Trump says decision coming soon
Trump told reporters outside the White House on Saturday: "We may. We're going to look at it." He said the U.S. would make a decision quickly.

> We may. We're going to look at it.
## Saudi Arabia requests urgent U.S. support
Two Saudi Arabian government officials told MS NOW the kingdom is requesting urgent defense support from the U.S. following the attacks, asking for intervention as soon as possible.
## Saudi coalition calls attack a war crime
Colonel Turki Al-Maliki, spokesman for the Saudi-led Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen, described the attack as a war crime and said the coalition will respond decisively.
## Houthis warn against using Saudi airports
Following Saturday's attack, the Houthis renewed their warning against using Saudi airports and airspace, saying they are vulnerable to attack and have become a theatre of operations.
## U.S. involvement would strain resources
Analysts said U.S. military involvement in the fight against the Houthis would stretch resources in the Middle East already committed to fighting Iran, raising questions about sustained capacity.
## Houthis threaten Red Sea shipping
The Houthis have been trying to choke off oil tanker traffic through the Bab el Mandeb strait, a key entry point to the Red Sea, mirroring Iran's actions in the Strait of Hormuz.
## U.K. also examining support options
The United Kingdom's defense secretary Wes Streeting said his government is examining how to support Saudi Arabia but is not getting involved in offensive operations at this stage.
## Energy conference proceeds despite attacks
The Saudi energy ministry said a long-planned international energy conference will still take place in Riyadh on Sunday, with more than seventy ministers and three hundred company executives confirmed.
## Key takeaway

Trump said the U.S. is considering joining Saudi Arabia's fight against Iran-backed Houthis after attacks killed twelve people at Riyadh airport, potentially opening a second military front.